SCIENCE

Key Stage 3

Students study key stage 3 science in years 7, 8 and 9. Over the three years, students will learn a balanced curriculum of biology, chemistry and physics. Through each year, students will complete 6 units comprising of different topics such as forces, electricity, and the structure of the atom, chemical reactions, the human body and the environment. Revision materials for each year are available from the science department, and students will be provided with core questions as well as keywords and definitions for each topic, which will be tested during assessments, and form part of their homework throughout the year. Assessment will be based on student’s marks in the end of topic tests and at the end of year exam.

Key Stage 4

The science department has several routes through to qualification depending on a student’s interest in science and willingness to work hard.

There will be a choice of two main routes to science GCSEs, either a two-GCSE combined science or a three-GCSE separate science route (consisting of GCSE biology, GCSE chemistry and GCSE physics).

The first option is to study combined science. This is a two-GCSE sized (double award) qualification covering the three science disciplines of biology, chemistry and physics. Students are awarded a grade based on their overall performance across these three disciplines. Combined science students will sit six exams at the end of the course as shown here -.

Biology 1

Paper 1

1hr 10min

60 marks

Chemistry 1

Paper 2

1hr 10min

60 marks

Physics 1

Paper 3

1hr 10min

60 marks

Exam papers 1, 2 and 3 will combine to form one GCSE grade

Biology 2

Paper 4

1hr 10min

60 marks

Chemistry 2

Paper 5

1hr 10min

60 marks

Physics 2

Paper 6

1hr 10min

60 marks

Exam papers 4, 5 and 6 will combine to form the second GCSE grade

There will be two biology exams, two chemistry exams and two physics exams. All exams are 1 hour 10 minutes, and each exam will cover half of the content for that discipline.

There will be foundation tier and higher tier papers, and students must sit all six exams at the same tier. Foundation tier is for students who are aiming for grades 1–5, and higher tier is for students who are aiming for grades 4–9. The science department will give guidance on the appropriate tier of entry. As it is a double award qualification, students will receive two grades. These grades could be the same number, e.g. 6, 6 or 7, 7. However, some students may receive a grade with adjacent numbers, e.g. 6, 7. This will signify a student who is at an intermediate point between the standard required for a 6, 6 grade, and the standard required for a 7, 7 grade.

The second option is to study three separate sciences, which gives three GCSEs: GCSE biology, GCSE chemistry and GCSE physics. Students are awarded individual grades for each discipline. Separate science students study all of the content from biology, chemistry and physics disciplines of combined science, but with added extra material in each discipline. Separate science students also sit six exams at the end of the course.

The biology GCSE combines these 2 papers:

The chemistry GCSE combines these 2 papers:

The physics GCSE combines these 2 papers:

Biology 1

Paper 1

1hr 45min

100 marks

Chemistry 1

Paper 2

1hr 45min

100 marks

Physics 1

Paper 3

1hr 45min

100 marks

Biology 2

Paper 4

1hr 45min

100 marks

Chemistry 2

Paper 5

1hr 45min

100 marks

Physics 2

Paper 6

1hr 45min

100 marks

These six exams, at 1 hour 45 minutes, are slightly longer than the combined science exams. Each exam will cover half of the content for that discipline. There will be foundation tier and higher tier papers. Foundation tier is for students who are aiming for grades 1–5, and higher tier is for students who are aiming for grades 4–9. The science department will give guidance on the appropriate tier of entry. In the separate science pathway, students can choose different tiers for different disciplines. So, for example, a student may choose to sit physics and chemistry at higher tier and biology at foundation tier. Students will receive a grade between 1 and 9 for each of biology, chemistry and physics GCSEs.

Separate science is offered as a GCSE option subject and as such is suited to students of all levels of ability.